Terry, here are some thoughts that come to mind... 1. If you can arrange a trip out to the Long Island nurseries you should find the junipers mentioned there. 2. If your purchasing has to be on-line then order only from www.lazyssfarm.com. A top notch nursery that babies its plants and customers. You can send them a e-mail explaining that you plan to train junipers on trellises and you need plants with a number of leaders and they will work with you. I just skimmed through their on-line catalog (drool) and note that they carry Juniperus chinenses 'Blue Alps'. Perfect for your needs. Retains its green color all winter. All container grown plants can be planted at any time of the year. 2. Because the junipers are not fast growers suggest that you intersperse them with pots in which you could grow deciduous shrubs that are attractive in the winter months. The following are available at the same nursery, Salix alba 'Flame', Viburnum carlesii (fantastic bloom fragrance) and Lonicera x Mandarin PP#11,083. The latter is a beautiful all summer blooming vine to be trellised and is considered invasive but you are growing in the concrete jungle so it should not be a problem. This assortment plus five junipers plus pots of annuals should be a good beginning for you. See how this works out. 3. Take some time to study the Winter Sowing Forum. It is an easy method which will allow you to grow annuals inexpensively. 4. Strongly suggest the following. You will need some method of securing branches and vines. The most permanent, easy to use type that I have found is a heavy duty, single-wrap Velcro. Strong, durable, attractive, almost unnoticed, sold in a green color, holds through hurricanes as I can attest. It will probably be easier for you to order it on-line from www.homesew.com. Another customer friendly company.

Mindy, I know you need to cover only 2' tall structure and this will not work for you, but for the larger applications both, Akebia quinata or less common A.trifoliata will be glad to call offered conditions 'The Home', but could easily become a rampant pest, especialy if it is somewhat sunny AND wet place. Well, they'll grow rampant anyway, in any conditions :-)) In warmer end of zone 6 they are practicaly evergreen with foliage disappearing only close to X-mas and new growth become apparent as early as early March. Perfect for the screening chain link fences. Mindy, if you are interested, I could send you a couple miles of it. :-)

Creeping fig will get between the slats and grow over to your neighbor's side and ruin the fence, but as hoovb noted, wood fences don't last long anyway. If you have any sewer or septic systems nearby, do yourself a favor and pull it out now. It's real trouble if you have a crack in one of your sewer lines. Creeping fig also prefers full sun. Mine never grew at all in the shade, but the one on a south-facing fence is growing like gangbusters. It took a few years to get established. Is there any sun at all? If there is enough sun, you should plant more of them in March or April, about six feet apart, to get faster coverage. But they will not cover the fence in a year, and the 2x4s will still show when it does cover the fence. For covering ugly fences, I am a big fan of shrubs over vines. I started with vines, but found that they grow to the top of the fence, form a big wad up there, and get bare underneath. Sometimes mine would cascade beautifully down the other side for my neighbors. Ingrates. I don't think the Madagascar jasmine is a fast grower, and I'm not sure what the purple honeysuckle is. We'd need a botanical name to give you more info on that, probably. The vine I am most happy with after years of gardening is star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Evergreen, coverage from top to bottom of the vine, glossy green leaves, heavenly scent, and easy-care. It would require some attachment to the fence. I bought a big one (15 gal) so I would not have to wait for coverage and it has been fantastic. An all-around great plant. Renee

Here are three to start researching. Hydrangea petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea) These are extremely slow to get started, but there is nothing to beat the sight of a mature specimen in bloom. Climbing Hydrangea is a deciduous vine that clings with aerial roots. It needs solid support, like a wall, fence or even a large tree. They produce the lacy hydrangea flower heads in June. The dried flower head and peeling bark give it winter interest. Worth the investment in time. White flowers. 10 - 80' (Zones 4 - 7) Passiflora incarnata (Passionflower, Maypop) There are over 400 varieties of passionflower, most of which are tender tropical evergreens. Passiflora incarnata is a deciduous species that can actually survive a bit of freezing temperature. In fact, itÂs native to the southeast U.S. ItÂs semi-woody, with large serrated and clings with tendrils. Like its cousins, maypop is prized for its complex and exotic looking flowers. Purple and white flowers15 - 20' (Zones 7+) Campsis radicans (Trumpet Vine) A native American plant much loved by the hummingbirds and butterflies. Widely adaptable to heat and cold and an especially good choice as a perennial vine for Northern gardeners. Since they can get quite woody, their weight requires a strong support. Mature specimens make for nice winter interest, although they do require some maintenance pruning to keep them flowering at their best. Flowering can take a few years to start. Orange, Red and Yellow Flowers. Can grow to 40' (Zones 5 - 9) Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials